Approval
by jaggedjacket
Summary: Kiba didn't need Neji's approval to date Tenten, but it was good that he knew he had it all the same. Me no own. KibaTen oneshot


A/N: This is a one shot that I have been holding onto for forever. I thought you might want to see it since I finally have a decent ending to it. I would love reviews. Seriously. Anything uplifting at this point would be grand. Moving sucks. Please enjoy! (Or come unpack boxes at my new residence. Either will suffice.)

He made sure her breathing was steady and even before slipping his body slowly, carefully out from around hers. The bed creaked from the subtle shift in weight anyways, but she continued to sleep on, seemingly unaffected by the small disturbance. Akamaru, who was doubling as her body pillow at the moment, just shifted a lazy head in his direction, letting his master know without words that he would holler if she needed him. He brushed her bangs off her forehead, checking the temperature with the back of his hand before pressing a tender kiss to her temple and tucking his blanket snuggly back into place to make sure she stayed warm. With a quick pat to Akamaru's head, he headed off to the kitchen to start making tea.

He had barely put the kettle on the stove when a firm knock on his front door interrupted his thoughts.

There was only one person he could think of that would come over now, and he was right on time.

"Come on in Neji, I've been expecting you." Kiba opened the door and let thelong-haired ninja through the threshold. Neji had only really moved a fraction of his eyelids in response to Kiba's abrupt declaration, but to the stoic ninja that Neji was, to anyone else it would have equated to a startled jump. He removed his shoes, stated the obligatory, "_Ojamashimasu,_" and followed the Inuzuka into his house.

"You were expecting me?" Neji stated, a bit confused that the Inuzuka was so nonchalant about his visitation.

Kiba let a fang show through his lazy half-smile, "You're the only one who hasn't stop by yet, genius."

"Oh?" the statement seemed to have caught the normally passive Hyuga off-guard. The expression had come out half-surprised and a bit shocked. "Master Gai and Lee were here already?" Kiba just pointed to the corner in response, where a comical squirrel graced a helium balloon and bobbed silently in the air as it sat attached to some potted shrubbery. The card next to the potted plant had "GET WELL" written in big print across the front. Neji only nodded that he understood, even if he looked a bit surprised at how quickly the other components of his team had managed to visit Tenten so quickly. Kiba noticed that it had left the man a bit flustered that he was the last member of Team Gai to check on their wounded comrade. Kiba watched him scowl at the balloon with visible frustration as he tugged absentmindedly on the thin string that tethered it to the house plant.

With a squeeze to Neji's shoulder for reassurance, Kiba added,"They happened to be at the hospital when she was discharged." Neji's eyebrows raised in response, as if he had just got caught with his emotions on his sleeve, or perhaps it was more shock that Kiba was keen enough to pick up on the reason for his frustration and offer him condolence, he would never know. Kiba didn't leave a lot of time for him to ponder which one thoroughly however, because he followed it up with a quick change of topic. "Do you have time to stay for tea? Tenten will be up in a few minutes to take her medication and will be able to join us. All I have is kukicha until I get a chance to the store. You mind?"

Neji seemed to brighten from the invitation, "I have time to stay for tea."

Kiba shuffled an extra cup on the tray before taking it out to the sitting area. A small paper cup sat next to one teacup, filled with several pills.

Kiba poured everyone their tea before getting up and telling Neji that he would be right back with Tenten. Neji gave a curt smile, thankful that he could busy himself with his hands around a warm cup while he waited for the pair to come out and join him.

Kiba pushed open the door to his bedroom, taking in the sight of his nin-dog guarding his beloved while lying injured on his bed. In truth, watching her sleep was one of his most favorite things to do. He loved to watch her nap on Akamaru, almost as much as he loved watching her sleep while half-covering his chest in the middle of the night.

The injuries to her hands and forearms he most certainly was _not_ fond of, however. Neji was still nursing a head wound, he noticed, but had carefully hidden the bandages within the confines of his hitai-ate save for a few stray pieces of tape that dipped down by his temple. Lee himself was headed to rehabilitation in the hospital when Tenten was discharged yesterday. Tenten had chastised him sternly that he shouldn't miss his therapy appointments just to see her get safely to Kiba's, but Lee had only adjusted his crutch under his arm and had given her a thumbs up and a bright smile, promising to do a hundred laps around Konoha if he missed a single session. She let Gai tuck her in, despite the fact that the man had only one good arm to do so, as one was still sporting a hospital-issued sling with the other.

Kiba was just glad that she had come back alive.

The devastation to her hands and forearms was going to take a long time to heal. For now she had minimal used of her fingers and wrists, but was healing well, according to her doctors, and they were confident that she would make a full recovery. She probably had a surgery or two to repair some tendons and ligaments in her future.

He tried not to think about that now.

Now he was just glad that she didn't put up much of a fight when he insisted that she come stay at his place so he could monitor her while she recovered. Stubborn as she was, she gave in almost immediately after trying to finger some of the bandages around her wrist without much fervor. Kiba made her a promise that she wouldn't regret it, and he did his level best to make sure she had every comfort he could think of while she stayed with him.

Kiba sat slowly on the edge of the bed by her back, and his weight caused the bed to dip slightly. Tenten rotate towards him as she slowly regained consciousness.

"Kiba?" Tenten asked in a sleepy voice. It was the way that she said his name like this, half awake, that caused his heart to soar. It was almost as good as when she whispered his name in the middle of the night and snuggled closer to him. He _loved_ the fact that she said his name. _Only_ his name. Like she was talking to him in her dreams.

"Hey, Babe." Kiba managed to brush some more wisps of bangs out of her still closed eyes carefully with the edge of his sharp nails. "Think you can stand to sit and drink some tea with me and your visitor?"

She let out an even breath before opening her eyes. She closed them again before smiling and speaking his name in a happy whisper again.

"_Kiba…"_

His heart swelled in his chest. Half asleep and drugged and she still managed to say his name in a way that caused his heart to skip a beat. He wondered if he could ever get tired of how she spoke his simple name. It was like she made it come to life with the very way she formed the word on her lips.

She snuggled up to him, but winced when she tried to use her hands to bring him closer. Kiba wasn't quite fast enough to stop her, and Tenten frowned, finally remembering her injured arms from the quick shot of pain from her attempt to bring Kiba on the bed with her. As Tenten shifted to raise herself on the bed, Kiba assisted her to ease the weight off of her arms as much as possible.

"Easy does it." Tenten gave a groggy smile in thanks at his help to sit her upright on the bed.

Kiba evaluated the condition of the kunoichi on his bed who was leaning unceremoniously on his arm for support. Her long legs were peaking through the crumpled sheets, teasing him, and reminding him that she only slept in one of his shirts when she was over. Yesterday had been a fluke, and she had remained in her own shirt before she was able to take off her capris and flop down and burrow under his covers. Making sure she was stable enough to leave her long enough to grab her pants, Kiba then searched her pack for the pajama bottoms he remembered packing for her for just such an occasion.

Helping her slip into them, he pecked her on the cheek before escorting her carefully into the sitting room, Akamaru following close behind.

He set her gently down on the couch, as much as he dared without her getting upset that he was treating her like she was fragile.

But to him, there was a million ways that their relationship could shatter like glass. He wouldn't let an injury like this come between them.  
He was bound and determined to show her they could grow stronger from this, that they could grow closer to each other, despite injuries that could potentially ruin their career as a shinobi.

But that was an issue for another time. They would cross that bridge when they got to it. _If_ they got to it. There was still a huge chance that her wounds would heal just fine and that she would be back to her old self of throwing 50 shiruken with one hand before he knew it.

"Neji," Tenten greeted the eager man on the opposite side of the table with relaxed smile. "It's good to see you."

From what Kiba could tell, Neji looked relieved that Tenten was up and about, even if it was only for a little while before the next wave of medication rendered her too sleepy to stay awake for long.

"It is good to see you, too." Neji sipped his tea and gave Kiba a look. Really, Kiba read a lot from the simple way that Neji nodded to him. Neji approved of the way that he was treating her, not that they needed it, but it was nice to have all the same. The look told Kiba that Neji was glad that she had him to take care of her while she recovered. Although the beginning of their relationship was met with resistance at first, one by one they all seemed to come to the same conclusion: Kiba wasn't going to let anything come between them if he could help it. He wasn't about to let strange teammates or even a traumatic injury pry the two apart.

Tenten relaxed into the Kiba's side and he naturally let his arm fold in around her as they all enjoyed each other's company until Tenten dozed off, nuzzled firmly against her boyfriends side.

"Would you mind watching her while I run a few errands?" Kiba asked of the pale-eyed shinobi. "I was hoping to make her favorite dinner tonight. I think she would appreciate the company if you joined us, make her feel more at home," he added with a sincere smile.

Neji helped Kiba place her in his bed and patted Akamaru with benevolence on his large head. Tenten was out cold, breathing evenly into Akamaru's fur. She looked peaceful, like she belonged there, on his bed, recuperating, sleeping, or doing whatever. She belonged with him no matter what her state at the moment. Team Gai felt it; the traction that they had to share their beloved kunoichi with someone else. But now he was somehow no longer the outsider. She had made room for him and his ninken, and Team Gai was coming around to the idea that he wasn't going anywhere. He would stay with her whatever the circumstance, whatever the outcome, whether he had the team's approval or not.

"Diner would be nice, too." Neji said as they left the room open ajar and headed towards the living room.

Kiba couldn't help the fatuous smile that formed on his face. He didn't need the teams approval to date Tenten, but somehow, he had a feeling he had it anyways.


End file.
